


Enter the Cowboy

by 12anonymous33



Series: The Tale of Avatar Genji [2]
Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra, Overwatch (Video Game)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-19
Updated: 2016-08-21
Packaged: 2018-08-09 20:29:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7816087
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/12anonymous33/pseuds/12anonymous33
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An earthbending bounty hunter discovers an unexpected, but not unwelcome opportunity in the form of a runaway Avatar.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first entry in an Overwatch/Avatar AU I envisioned a little while ago. If you're interested in some character bios, you'll find them here: http://sf-roleplay.tumblr.com/post/149118645507/overwatchlegend-of-korra-au-character-bios

The mountain ranges of the Earth Kingdom could be inhospitable places, despite their majesty. Unless, of course, you were someone like Jesse McCree.

Parting his chapped lips, McCree released the smoke of a lit cigarillo into the brisk air. From the boulder he lounged upon, he observed the worn trail that wove its way through the small gorge below. He wasn’t looking for anything in particular; a lost traveller he could give directions to, a criminal to collect a bounty on, a poor soul to rob, anything to make this lazy day a little more interesting.

The minutes trickled by like the gentle stream running beside the dusty path. Jesse huffed out another mouthful of smoke, considering taking a nap right where he sat when he heard the thundering of tumbling rocks in the distance.

Well, he hadn’t exactly _heard_ it more than _felt_ it through the earth beneath him. One of the perks of being an earthbender. 

Sure enough, when he tilted the brim of his hat away from his eyes, Jesse caught sight of a billowing cloud of dust rising into the air, just out of sight. Anyone who wasn’t familiar with the area might have assumed a rockslide or avalanche was occurring, but McCree knew the Deadlock Gang like the back of his hand. He’d run with those cutthroat bandits for much of his adolescence, after all.

As much as Jesse’s heart went out to whatever sap had been caught in the gang’s trap, which it didn’t, he wasn’t exactly in the mood to intervene. McCree had worked out a delicate truce with his former Deadlock compatriots in the years since he’d left, and it wasn’t one he wanted to violate any time soon.

Shouting and smashing, the echoes of a struggle, reverberated around the hillsides and through the gorge. This caught Jesse’s attention, and he turned his eyes in the direction of the commotion. Few were foolish enough to think they could go toe to toe with the Deadlock Gang. Just who had these delinquents decided to attack?

He got his answer when a hooded figure scrambled around the bend and down the path, launching fireball after fireball at his assailants. They were Deadlock gang members, alright, if their tacky jackets were any indication.

“Get him!” one of them shouted, his voice barely audible over the cacophony of their battle. “He’s the freaking Avatar!”

Jesse perked up, wondering if his ears were deceiving him. Sure enough, the mysterious man the gang was pursuing lashed out at one of his opponents with water from the stream, tossing him against the side of the mountain.

“The Avatar, eh?” murmured McCree, chewing on his cigarillo with interest. “Well, I’ll be.”

Last time the man was in town, all he had heard about was how the Avatar, Genji Shimada, had suddenly disappeared under suspicious circumstances. Jesse was a little fuzzy on the specifics, but what he _was_ absolutely sure about was the number of bounties that had been placed on the guy’s head. Bagging just one of those rewards would allow McCree to support himself for several years, _easily._

And in all honesty, the Deadlock Gang wasn’t exactly strapped for cash. Why should they have first pick on every juicy fish in the river?

His mind made up, Jesse spat out his nub of a cigarillo and stood up, adjusting his hat and leaping off the boulder with ease. The rocky ground gave way to his boots as he landed, allowing him to slide down the slope of the gorge with practiced ease. By the time he'd reached the path at the bottom, the fight was taking a turn in the gang members’ favor.

Whatever talents or experience this Avatar had under his belt didn’t seem to be enough against the number of thugs surrounding him. Someone had gotten a lucky shot in, and now the Avatar was sprawled on the ground, struggling to get up and continue the fight. An earthbending gang member tore a chunk of rock from the ground and hurled it at the fallen man, aiming to knock him out and score another victory for the fearsome Deadlock Gang. 

What they hadn’t counted on was a man in a red serape sliding in from out of nowhere and in between them and their prize. The flying rock collided with McCree’s open palm and, with a miniscule flex of his hand, crumbled into pieces.

“Whoa now,” he chuckled sardonically at the befuddled gang members. “What do y'all think you’re doin’ to this poor little traveler here?”

“H-hey! I’m not poor! Or little!”

Jesse looked over his shoulder at the supposed Avatar, who’d managed to push himself onto his knees. The hood of his overcoat had fallen away from his head, giving McCree his first good look at the Avatar’s face.

Jesse wasn’t sure why his stomach flipped at the sight; perhaps because of the amount of scars marring such a youthful face. It definitely _wasn’t_ because of the kid’s deep, chocolate-colored eyes that glowered at him apprehensively.

Either way, the Avatar didn’t look too banged up, besides the small gash on his forehead leaking blood down his nose and mouth.

“It’s none o’ your business, cowboy!” came the petulant retort from the nearest thug, drawing Jesse’s attention back to the standoff at hand. “We saw ‘im first!” he declared, his cronies nodding and hollering in agreement.

A dangerously easy going smile spread on McCree’s lips as he sized up the twerps scattered around him. He didn’t recognize any of these teenaged Deadlock members, and hopefully, none of them recognized him.

“Oh, really?” he replied conversationally, crossing his arms over his broad chest. “Shouldn’t you kids be in school or somethin’? Why don’t y’all run back to your mamas and let me deal with this little guy right here? Wouldn’t want none y’all gettin’ hurt.” 

“I said I’m not little!” the Avatar barked exasperatedly at his savior. He was pointedly ignored.

“No way!” growled the now ruffled gang member. “That guy’s worth a ton of dough, and we ain’t lettin’ him get away!” He pointed a challenging finger at McCree as his companions readied themselves for another scuffle. “If you don’t scram right now, I’ll pummel you myself!”

“Whoa! Those are some fightin’ words, little man,” Jesse chuckled, his smile growing into an all-out grin. It’d been awhile since he’d been able to smash some faces in. “But, I think I’ll take my chances.” His eyes trailed to the scrappy boy’s outstretched arm and the thick metal bracelet adorning his wrist. Perfect.

With a flick of Jesse’s hand, the bracelet flew to the side, dragging the thug’s arm around with it. With a satisfying crunch, it collided with the nose of another gangster, who cried out in pain and stumbled to the ground.

All of the Deadlock members stared disbelieving at the groaning and bleeding boy, while the one with the bracelet looked like he was just about ready to piss himself.

“G...guys!” he cried, panicked. “It-it wasn’t me!”

Before the hoodlum could say anything else, metal wires wound their way around his torso, yanking him into the air and into the side of the gorge. He slid back down on his face, motionless

“Alrighty then,” said Jesse, all eyes turning to him as the wires rewound back into the spools hanging from his belt. His grin was positively vicious. “Who’s next?”

* * *

Not even an hour later, the rest of the Deadlock brats had scampered off with more than just wounded egos. 

“And off they go,” Jesse laughed, wiping the sweat from his brow. “Guess I still got it.” 

“That...was pretty impressive,” came the voice of the Avatar. McCree turned to face the kid, who’d managed to get back on his feet and press a rag against his bleeding head wound. “You have my thanks.” 

“Hold on now, sonny,” interjected McCree as he stepped deliberately towards the other man. “You don’t _really_ think I saved your sorry behind outta the goodness o’ my heart, did ya? Genji Shimada?”

The look of dawning realization on the poor guy’s face sent a predatory thrill through the bounty hunter’s mind.

“Um...yes?” Genji replied uncertainly, tensing up as the taller man drew closer.

“Ha!” Jesse barked, his cold grin akin to a wolf baring its canines. “You don’t get out much, do you, Mr. Avatar? I’ll give it to you straight: you’re worth a pretty penny, and I’m looking to collect, capiche?”

“W-wait!” exclaimed the younger man as he was backed against a nearby tree. “Can’t we work something out?” he implored, those chocolate eyes wide with trepidation. 

“How about this, son,” Jesse replied, the wires in his spools coiled to spring at a moment’s notice. “We can get this thing over with, or we can do it the hard way. Your choice.”

It mattered little to McCree that he’d just gotten through beating the tar out of a bunch of delinquents. This opportunity had been delivered to him on a silver platter, and he wasn’t about to let it slip away.

Genji’s scarred face hardened suddenly into an angry and determined mask. Before the bounty hunter could react, he was kicked in the gut by an unexpected gust of wind that sent him rolling up the dusty path.

Right. It seemed he’d underestimated the Avatar’s airbending abilities.

Jesse rose to his feet, returning his hat to its rightful place and shaking off the soreness from his rough tumble. Sure enough, Genji had disappeared and taken off down the mountain trail. It looked like the kid wanted to do things the hard way after all.

McCree huffed, rolling his neck and shoulders before casually strolling after his prey. No matter. He always had enjoyed the thrill of the hunt.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the couple of kind comments you guys posted on the first chapter. This may or may not be the last chapter for this entry, but you can expect more works to be added to the Avatar Genji series soon!

Long tendrils of shadow spread down the peaks as the sun laid itself to rest; For a fleeting time, the skies were painted in fiery hues before the valleys and ravines were plunged into darkness.

McCree wasn’t too worried about the waning sunlight; he’d lived and worked in the Kolau Mountains for years, and could navigate the many winding trails with ease. The bound and writhing young man slung over his shoulder, however, could make hiking the steep slopes a bit more difficult.

“Let me go, you wannabe cowboy!” the Avatar shouted as he struggled, unable to bend thanks to a few chi-blocking techniques. “When I get out of here, I swear I’ll burn your ass to a crisp!”

The bounty hunter rolled his eyes, growling in annoyance. This kid had been at it for what felt like hours. Did the list of the Avatar’s abilities also include endless hyperactivity?

“Would you pipe down, boy?” Jesse huffed for the hundredth time, jostling the weight on his shoulder as he pushed past thick ferns and trees. “If some animal catches wind of us, I’d have half a mind to leave you behind to be its dinner.”

“Yeah...well...that won’t matter!” Genji retorted. The older man could almost see the Avatar’s childish pout. “I’ll just reincarnate and come back to annihilate you!”

“I don’t think that’s how reincarnation works, sonny,” muttered McCree as he stepped into a small clearing in the woods. A small building, a cabin hidden among large boulders, sat invitingly on the other side.

“Finally,” whispered the bounty hunter, setting off towards his secluded home.

“‘F-finally’ what?” stuttered the Avatar, shifting nervously in Jesse’s grip. “W-where are we?”

“We’re stayin’ in my cabin for the night,” explained McCree as he pressed his hand against the front door and manipulated the metal puzzle locks within. “No way I can lug you all the way to town in one piece after dark.”

“Oh, really? Is your torture dungeon in here, too?”

“I’m a bounty hunter, not some lunatic.”

The locks disengaged and the door swung open. Shuffling inside, McCree’s free hand found the lightswitch and the interior of the cabin flickered into existence.

“Welcome to my humble abode, Mr. Avatar,” announced Jesse, stepping towards two ratty-looking armchairs arranged in front of a small stove. “Make yourself comfortable,” he offered, depositing Genji roughly onto one of the chairs. More wires wound their way around the boy, securing him to the piece of furniture for good measure.

The young man wrinkled his nose at the old and worn armchair, shifting to find a more comfortable position. “Kind of difficult to do since you insist on keeping me tied up like some damsel.” 

“Hey now, I’m just being cautious,” reasoned McCree. “I’ve got the big, bad Avatar in my own safe house; wouldn’t want it to go up in flames.”

Suddenly, a shadow passed over Genji’s face and an inferno ignited in his irises. “I am not _big_ , and I am not _bad_! I’m just _me_! I don’t see why everyone has to treat me like _shit_ just because I have some spirit inside of me! I am not a _prize_ for greedy people to chase after! I am a _human being_!”

Jesse stopped dead in surprise, staring down at the Avatar as he suddenly exploded in anger. He could hear the pain and anxiety in Genji’s broken voice, and see them in his expression as the fire died and it crumbled into tearful shame. 

McCree’s insides seemed to freeze over in a sensation he hadn’t experienced in quite some time. Here he was, holding some poor kid against his will who was probably trying to escape a harmful situation back from wherever he came.

It was a feeling the earthbender hadn’t associated with the usual miscreants he’d encountered. It was _guilt._

“Aw, hell,” Jesse groaned, pulling his hat off and rubbing a hand through his messy locks.

“What now?” the Avatar sniffed despondently, misty eyes downcast.

The tight metal wires binding his wrists suddenly loosened and unraveled, along with the ones around his ankles. The young man gasped in surprise at the partial return of mobility, and looked up at Jesse with dark and questioning eyes.

“Look,” McCree sighed, sinking onto the second creaky chair and rubbing his eyes. “This ain’t some sort o’ trick, alright? I’m just...havin’ second thought about this whole thing,” he chuckled wearily, feeling quite foolish.

The Avatar was silent for a moment, scrutinizing the bounty hunter. Jesse diverted his gaze from Genji’s chocolate eyes; something about the guy’s stare made him feel like he was being judged by some wise and mighty deity.

Considering the nature of the spirit residing within the Avatar, the comparison wouldn’t have been too far off.

“And yet, I am still tied to the armchair,” Genji observed, pulling at the wires around his middle.

“That’s ‘cause I don’t want you thinkin’ you can just skedaddle back into these woods. They ain’t safe at night. I would know.”

“Right,” the Avatar huffed, crossing his arms and resting back into the chair; as much as he could, at least. “What made you change your mind? What about the oh-so bountiful rewards you’ll receive for my capture?”

“Listen here,” Jesse snapped, sitting up and pointing at the other man with a stern finger. “It ain’t always about the money with me, OK? I just think...I think I can relate to what you must be goin’ through right now, is all.”

Genji’s expression took a turn for the incredulous as he processed McCree’s words. “Y-you don’t know what I’ve been through! You don’t how I got all these scars!”

“But, I _do_ know what it’s like to be all on your own for the first time!” The earthbender retorted, glowering at the Avatar. “Remember those thugs back in the gorge? I used to run with ‘em back when I was younger than _you_! And when...wait a minute,” Jesse murmured, cutting off his own monologue. “How old are you, son?”

“Um...twenty-one.”

“Wha... _really_? You look a helluva lot younger than-”

“Just get on with it!”

“Oh, right, right,” McCree cleared his throat before his expression turned austere again. “When I finally got away from those dogs, I had to rough it in these here mountains for a long time before I could make a name for myself. It was downright terrifyin’, wonderin' where I would find my next meal, or if I’d even survive through the night.”

Genji’s face had softened considerably as Jeese spoke, and the bounty hunter took this as a welcome sign.

“I also know what it’s like to have a price on your head; to always be lookin’ over your shoulder and never knowin’ who you can trust. That ain’t the kind of life someone like you deserves, Avatar or not.”

McCree’s sincere declaration hung in the air between the two men.

“So,” Genji speaks, eyeing his captor cautiously. “Does this mean...you’re going to let me go?”

Jesse sighed, dragging a hand down his tired face. He could almost see the Avatar’s reward money in his mind’s eye, dangling just out of reach. But, something had changed the bounty hunter’s usual rapacious ways. All that dough just didn’t seem worth taking away a young man’s freedom.

“That’s right,” he murmured, reaching over for the pack of cigarillos sitting on a small table beside him. “I ain’t gonna turn you in.”

“I...I see.” the Avatar replied quietly, a hint of genuine relief evident on his scarred face. “Thank you for reconsidering, Mr….er, what _is_ your name, anyway?”

“McCree’s the name,” the metalbender grinned around his cigarillo as he pulled out his lighter. “But my friends call me Jesse.”

“Jesse,” Genji repeated, tasting the name in his mouth and nodding in satisfaction. “Alright, Jesse, my name’s-”

“Genji Shimada, yeah, I know, and why won’t this damn thing _work_?” McCree grumbled as he struggled with his lighter. The little device clicked over and over, but emitted no spark.

“Allow me,” said the Avatar, manifesting a small flame between his fingers and flicking it right at Jesse’s face.

“ _Holy shit_!” the older man flinched violently, nearly tipping his rickety armchair over. Realizing he’d squeezed his eyes shut, the bounty hunter let them flutter open. The familiar, wispy smoke of a lit cigarillo floated past his vision, its spice and burn filling his lungs. 

Genji chortled childishly beside McCree, pointing at the metalbender’s bewildered expression. “Ha! Your face was priceless!” 

“Brat,” Jesse growled without much heat, taking another drag of cigarillo and allowing the taste to still his hammering heart. It appeared the chi-blocking he placed on the Avatar was beginning to wear off. “Pull somethin’ like that again, you’ll be spending the night outside.”

“What kind of host would you be if you kicked the _Avatar_ out of your home?” The younger man grinned impishly. Jesse realized that this was the first time he’d actually seen the kid _smile_ as if he hadn’t a care in the world. 

There went his stomach with those damn somersaults again. Maybe he’d eaten something disagreeable earlier in the day?

“Besides,” Genji continued, “You’d have to throw the chair out with me, and I don’t think you’re in the mood to lift us _both_ up.” He gestured to the wires strapping him securely to his seat. 

The bounty hunter stared at the restraints; they were the only things guaranteeing him one of the many bounties on the Avatar’s head. But, it was time to let go.

With a flourish of Jesse’s hand, the metal bindings loosened before flying over Genji’s head and landing on the floor in a neat pile.

“There. Now I’ll only have to throw one o’ you out,” he teased, huffing out another cloud of smoke.

The Avatar sighed relievedly, the weight of captivity having been lifted from his shoulders. Slumping back in his armchair, Genji turned his face to the ceiling and let his heavy eyelids flutter shut. If it weren’t for the way his chapped lips spread in a gracious smile, McCree would’ve thought he’d dozed off right then and there.

“Thank you...Jesse.”

The earthbender had to be honest; it was nice to spend an evening seated next to a friendly face for a change. Of course, he had no idea what was in store for the two of them in the coming days they would need to spend together.

However, no matter what they encountered, the young Avatar would have someone he could depend on standing by his side. McCree would make sure of that.

“Anytime, kid.”


End file.
